P RAYER R EQUESTS Prayers for those in our nearby community:
Mary Johnson (Julias mom had last chemo treatment) Prayers for our
members: Kit Fordham (traveling from Jordan home tonight at
midnight), and Paul Blaum (Pursuing becoming a Chaplain) Prayers
for those further away: Friend that Sidra invited to church, Marsha
(Steves friend who needs a job), Mark (Steves friend who has been
inquiring about Jesus), Sue Marini (Camilla & Franks
sister-in-law, shingles in her eye) General Requests: Those without
Job Security, Veterans, Those God is calling us to share our faith
with and for us that we will share it, Our church.
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C ALL TO W ORSHIP (from Isaiah 2:12-18 ) Please Stand and Read
Responsively For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is
proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up and high; Against
all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the
oaks of Bashan; Against all the high mountains, and against all the
lofty hills;
Slide 5
C ALL TO W ORSHIP (from Isaiah 2:12-18 ) Please Stand and Read
Responsively Against every high tower, and against every fortified
wall; The haughtiness of people shall be humbled, and the pride of
everyone shall be brought low; And the LORD alone will be exalted
on that day. The idols shall utterly pass away. Let us worship the
Almighty Lord this day with humbleness.
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Praise Song Please remain Standing
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T IME OF C ONFESSION Please Be Seated P RAYER OF C ONFESSION
(Please Read In Unison) Gracious God who sustains our lives, you
call us to places we do not know and do not understand. Even though
you promise to be with us, we are often afraid and turn away from
the paths you have prepared for us. We often prefer to put our
trust in things we know and understand things we can manage and
control. Forgive our failure to live passionately doing things for
you rather than for ourselves. Strengthen us to trust in your
promise to walk with us. Time of Silent Confession
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T IME OF C ONFESSION (Continued) A SSURANCE OF F ORGIVENESS
(From 1 Peter 2:9-10) Forgive the iniquity of this people according
to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have pardoned
this people, from Egypt even until now." Then the LORD said, "I do
forgive, just as you have asked. Amen.
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Praise Song Please remain Standing
Slide 10
Prayer for Illumination P ROCLAIMING T HE W ORD
Slide 11
The Tower of Babel Genesis 11
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Genesis 11:1-9 Now the whole earth had one language and the
same words. 2 And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a
plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to
one another, "Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly."
And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they
said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its
top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise
we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." 5
The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had
built.
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Genesis 11:1-9 6 And the LORD said, "Look, they are one people,
and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of
what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be
impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down, and confuse their
language there, so that they will not understand one another's
speech." 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the
face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9
Therefore it was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the
language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them
abroad.
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Slide 15
The Majority is Always Right! A day is coming when we will be
able to engineer around all medical problems. Then why havent we
overcome poverty, disease, violence? Why do people still die?
Technology will solve everything!
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Will God allow us to overcome our limitations?
Slide 17
God allows Humans to rebel, but in the end God wins. The Tower
of Babel is a story that tells us: How God reacts to Human
Rebellion How God reacts when humans choose their own way instead
of Gods way
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God allows humans to rebel. Do you remember what God told Noah
after the flood? He would never destroy them again. He commanded
humans to fill up the earth to scatter across the earth. Problem:
Common Language
Slide 19
Significance of All Speaking Same Language God uses speech to
create world John writes that Jesus is the Word Paul ways that when
we believe we have heard faith. When someone preaches, they are
preaching the wordl Scripture is the word of God. Speech - our
words have power that we cannot comprehend from our human vantage
point. So God makes it so they wont talk to each other any
more.
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What is wrong with their statement? Come help us come let us
work together. We will make bricks and use them to build ourselves
a city and a tower. Let us make a name for ourselves! Otherwise we
will be scattered abroad upon the earth
Slide 21
Same problem with the church today Come help us come let us
work together. We will make bricks and use them to build ourselves
a city and a tower. Let us make a name for ourselves! Otherwise we
will be scattered abroad upon the earth The church is not for us or
our well being. God told Noah what His people should do: Scatter
and fill up the earth. Jesus told us what a church should be: A
people who scatter to the ends of the earth to witness to the
gospel of Jesus Christ. But the people of Babel had their own plan
settle in one place with a place that would be built for their own
pleasure.
Slide 22
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in
vain (Psalm 127).
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So they build away. And God comes down for a visit: humans are
not restrained from what they might dream up now. And God restrains
them!
Slide 24
God allows us to rebel. He allows us to build church
communities that dont remotely resemble the body of Christ. God
allows our rebellion to go on. He allows sin to happen. But only
for a while
Slide 25
What the people of Babel dont care about is that their
rebellion affects others Fighting breaks out! There is confusion in
their community. Aggressive people=yelling & screaming louder
you yell/more understood. People who arent aggressive= cower and
leave town. Some try to take a vote to build unity since what
majority wants is right. People who arent afraid of starting over
leave town. People who only home theyve known stay believing city
still alive.
Slide 26
A church that will not scatter that will not go into its
community to witness to the gospel - will end up like the Tower of
Babel: Out of Relationship with God and with each other.
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BUT there is good news: God provides a new way! BabelChurch God
confuses their speech God separates them from each other God brings
one tongue (Pentecost) God unites us through the Holy Spirit
Slide 28
Summary God has commanded us that our objective is to introduce
others to Christ not to huddle together. God will leave us to our
own desires allowing us to rebel. But when or if our rebellion
affects his plans for humanity, then he will enter into our history
and thwart our efforts. We may think for a time that we are getting
away with something. We may be able to turn Gods commands off in
our head and ignore them, But God will win in the end and his word
will be preached.
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R ESPONDING TO THE W ORD
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P RAYERS OF THE P EOPLE Please remain seated. The pastor will
pray first and then invite the congregation to pray the Lords
Prayer afterwards. T HE L ORD S P RAYER Our Father who is in
heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be
done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is
the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
